Steering-gear mechanism.



F. E. BAGER.

STEERING GEAR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2?. I9I6.

Patented July 17, 1917 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

F. E. BAGER. STEERING GEAR MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED MAY27. 191s.

L33,@99u Patented July 17, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

FREDERIC E. 'IB-AGER, OF KENOSIIA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK G. AUSTIN,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEERING-GEAR MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patgflted July 17 1917 Application filed May 27, 1916. Serial No. 100,410.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC E. BAGER, a citizen or the United States of America, and resident of Kenosha, Kenosha county, Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Steering-Gear Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to steering-gearmechanism for stea -'shovels, dragline bucket-excavators, an other heavy machines of similar character.

Generally stated, the ob'ect of my invention is to provide an impro ed steering-gearmechanism for controlling the steering wheels of a vehicle of any suitable or desired character, but adapted more particularly for use on heavy machines, such as excavators and other-similar machines which are ordinarily very large and cumbersome in character.

More specifically considered, the object of my invention is to provide. a steeringegearmechanism of this kind which is adapted more particularly for use in conjunction with steering wheels provided with spindles which are pivoted at their outer ends, whereby the inner ends of said spindles are arranged close together and in position to be conveniently connected with the device by which the steering-gear-mechanism is controlled.

It is also an object ti) provide certain details and features of construction and combinations tending to increase the general efiiciency and serviceability of a steering gear-mechanism of this particular character.

To these and other useful ends, my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth and claimed. 1

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan of a body-frame provided with steering wheels having a steering-gear-mechanism embodying the principles of my invention, the said steering wheels being shown in h0rizontal -section.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, showing certain parts in vertical section on line 22.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section on line 33 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlargeddetail section on line 4 4l in Fig. 2. L V

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section .on line .5-5 in Fig. 2. i

As thus illustrated, my invention comprises a body-frame A of any suitable, known or approved character. The rear driving-wheels B may be operated in any suitable or desired manner. The front steering wheels C are mounted on spindles 0 which have their outer ends pivoted on the body-frame. Any suitable means can4be employed forpivoting the said spindles at their outer ends, but this is preferably accompliShed by providing a body-frame with brackets D which are rigidly secured thereto, and which are supported by the casting cl on the spindles. Each bracket D is provided with a lower rounded portion 1 which occupies the shallow seat or socket 2 in the top of the casting cl, the latter being secured to the spindles 0 by means of a vertically disposed bolt 3 which extends downward through the bracket D and the said casting and spindles. The upper end-portion of this bolt .or pin V3 is enlarged and held against rotation by a horizontal pin 4: which is inserted through the casting (Z in a direction transverse of the body-frame. The lower end of the bolt or pin 3 is preferably provided with a nut 5 to prevent the casting cl from slipping off or dropping down. Thus, the outer end of each spindle c is provided with a pivot,

and with this arrangement the two spindles can each swing about a vertical axis, so that the wheels C can be turned in the desired direction. Near their inner ends, the spindles 0 are provided with rollers E which ro- ,tate thereon and which bear against the under sides of the body-frame-members 6, which latter are provided on their outer sides with short sections of angle-iron 7 upon which the said rollers can travel when the wheelspmdles are skewed or swung around .to steerv the excavator or other vehicle in the desired direction. When the Spindles are in alineme'nt, the rollers E engage the frame-members 6, but when the two spindles are skewed, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, these rollers will then leave the frame-members 6 and engage the sec- .tions 7 ofangle-iron or other suitable means, whereby each roller E has a curved path of travel on the under side of the body-frame. Thus, the weight of the excavator or other machine or vehicle is supported on the spindles c, at opposite sides of the two steering wheels, and by skewing the spindles the machineor vehicle can be steered in the desired the other wheel-spindle.

manner. For this purpose, the inner endportions 8 of the two wheel-spindles are preferably close together and provided with devices 9 and 10 for connecting them with the chains 11 and 12, which latter extend around the wheels 13 and 14 mounted on the lower ends of vertically-disposed spindles or shafts 15 and 16, the latter being supported in suitable bearings on the bodyframe. Thus, the chain 11 extends from the device 9 on one wheel-spindle, around the Wheel 13, and then to the other device 9 on Similarly, the

chain 12 extendsfrom the device 10 on one wheel-spindle, around 7 the wheel 14, and then backto the other device 10 on the other Q wheel-spindle. These wheels 18 and li are of such character that they willhave posit1ve engagement with the chains, so that whenthese wheels are turned the said chains l will operate the wheel spindles to control thesteering wheels. Any suitable arrangement can be employed for doing this, but

with the construction shown and described, 7

which is illustrative of my invention, the wheel 13 is rigid with a worm-wheel 17 which engages the worm 18 on the. transverse shaft 19, the latter being mounted in I suitable bearings on the under side of the body-frame. Any suitable arrangement can be employed for rotating this shaft 19,'and when-this is done the wheel 13 will be re- I tated or turned in one direction or the other,

causing the chain 11 to pull on'one of the wheel-spindles, and thereby causing the chain 12 to pull on the other wheel-spindle,

* thus skewing the two spindles in the desired irons 20 are arranged parallel and longitudinal of the body-frame and are suitably secured to the under side ofthe latter, below the wheel-spindle end-portions 8, whereby the latter are'held against dropping down steering wheels are necessarily quite heavy.

The connecting device 9 is preferably in the form of a U-boltinserted through the wheel-spindle end-portions 8 and'fastened in 7 place by nuts 21, while the devices 10 may be ordinary eye-bolts inserted through the said wheel-spindles and held in place by nuts 22,

V or by any other suitable means.

' In the use of a steam-shovel'or drag-line bucket-excavator, orother heavy machine of this kind, the strains on the body frame are j considerable, and this is especially true when thestructure is passing over uneven ground. At such times, there wlll be .more or less yielding as between the different parts, and

' the improved steering gear mechanism 7 gear is conveniently applied, with this 7 rangement and mode of operatlon, to the are outside of the wheels, so that said wheels C are disposed between these axes and the swinging inner ends of the spindles. In this I way, the weight is supported on opposite ends of each spindle, and the operation of the steering gear is rendered easy and effective in character, as the weight does not tend to tilt the spindles upward at either end.

I, WVlien the wheels are operated about their vertically disposed steering axes, the treads of the two wheels move outward and away from each other, so that the width of the wheel-base is not decreased. The steering aradjacent inner ends of the wheel spindles, and one wheel tends to balance the other when the machine is traveling along, the inner ends of the spindles pulling backward on the chain 12, but the worm gearing 17 and 18 serves to hold the wheels in any direction in which they are turned. What I claim as my invention is 1. In a steering-gear-mechanism for excavators 0r other'portable machines or vehicles, a pair of supporting wheels, spindles manner for the purpose of steeringthe ma- .chine or vehicle to theright or left Anglefor said wheels, a body-frame, elements for pivotally connecting the outer ends of said spindles with said body-frame so that the vertically disposed steering axes are outside of said wheels, means for movably supporting the frame on the inner end-portions of said wheel-spindles, and devices connected with the inner ends of said wheel-spindles to skew said wheels.

2. In a steering-gear-mechanism for excavators or other portable machines or vehicles, a pair of supporting wheels, spindles for said wheels, a body-frame, elements for pivotally connecting the outer ends of said spindles with said body-frame so that the vertically disposed steering axes are outside of said wheels, meansfor movably supporting the frame on the inner end-portions of said wheel-spindles, said means including two rollers between the wheels on said wheelspindles to engage the under side of the body-frame, and devices connected with the inner ends of said wheel-spindles to skew said wheels. 7

3. In a steering-gear-mechanism for excavators or other portable machines or vehicles, a pair of supporting wheels, spindles for said wheels, a body-frame, elements for pivg otally connecting the outer ends of said spindles with said body-frame so that the vertically disposed steering axes are outside of said wheels, means for movably supporting the frame on the inner end-portions of said wheel-spindles, devices connected With the inner ends of said wheel-spindles t0 skew said wheels, said elements including brackets fastened to the body-frame, and castings secured to the outer ends of said spindles and provided with seats for the lower ends of said brackets, each bracket and its alloted casting being provided with a vertical pivotmember which holds the spindle against rotation.

4. In a steering-gear-mechanism for eX- cavators or other portable machines or vehicles, a pair of supporting wheels, spindles for said wheels, a body-frame, elements for pivotally connecting the outer ends of said spindles with said body-frame, means for supporting the frame on the inner end-portions of said wheel-spindles, and devices connected with the inner ends of said wheelspindles to skew said wheels, said devices including front and rear wheels each mounted on the body-frame to turn about a vertical aXis, and each wheel having a belt thereon, the ends of each belt being connected respectively with the inner ends of the two wheel-spindles, whereby rotation of one wheel in either direction will cause rotation of the other wheel in the opposite direction. 5. In a steering-gear-mechanism for eX- cavators or other portable machines or vehicles, a pair of supporting wheels spindles for said wheels, a body-frame, elements for pivotally connecting the outer ends of said spindles with said body-frame so that the vertically disposed steering axes are outside of said wheels, means for movably supporting the frame on the inner end-portions of said wheel-spindles, and devices connected with the inner ends of said wheel-spindles to skew said wheels, said devices including a worm-gearing having flexible connection with the inner ends of said wheel-spindles.

Signed by me at Tellwood, Orange Co, Florida, this 19th day of May, 1916.

FREDERIC E. BAGER.

Witnesses:

C. H. JONES, A. B. CURTIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

